Russia and Egypt call for stepping up diplomatic efforts to de-escalate Middle East

CAIRO - 19 March 2026: Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Andrey Rudenko and Ambassador of Egypt to Russia Hamdy Shaaban, following talks in Moscow, stressed the need to intensify diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the conflict in the Middle East, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported.

“An exchange of views took place on current Middle East issues in light of the ongoing aggression by the United States and Israel against Iran. The parties noted the need to step up political and diplomatic efforts in order to de-escalate and find ways to end the conflict,” the statement said.

For his part the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister praised Egypt pivotal role as a pillar of stability in the region. He affirmed the importance of continued close coordination and consultation between Cairo and Moscow regarding regional and international issues of mutual interest.

Earlier in March, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty discussed the situation in the Middle East in a phone call and called for a swift end to the conflict.

In February, Egypt condemned Iran’s airstrikes on US bases in the Middle East.